Video & Transcript Research : 'sentencing'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 3/17/26

Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • And so rather than requiring the Sentencing Guidelines Commission to do the analysis, to publish the
  • And so rather than requiring the Sentencing Guidelines Commission to do the analysis, to publish the
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Judiciary Feb 13th, 2026 at 05:37 pm

House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • And so I didn't get your last sentence. I apologize.
  • This legislation provides a clear and needed definition of fentanyl for purposes of criminal sentencing
  • definition that applies to the Controlled Substance Act, and she's talking about the section in the sentencing
  • reference the controlled substance analog, I think we wouldn't want to run the risk of putting the sentence
  • Sexual abuse and violence is not part of our judicial system and should never be part of someone's sentence
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/04/2026 - House Judiciary

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • So if you look at the very last sentence, this subsection does not apply if the persons are legally related
  • Chair, Representative Diaz, I don't know if that last sentence would fully apply to that, but the people
  • Two more sentences, Chairman? Yes. Thank you, sir.
  • Go ahead and finish your sentence. And that's where I... Go ahead and finish your sentence.
Summary: The committee first heard HB 2415, which would tighten Arizona’s regulation of kratom by treating synthetic or highly concentrated 7-OH products as narcotic drugs, raising the legal sale age to 21, and imposing criminal penalties for prohibited sales or preparation. Supporters, including the sponsor, a recovering user, the American Kratom Association, and the Attorney General’s Office, argued the bill targets dangerous synthetic products while preserving natural kratom leaf products. Opponents, including the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, warned the amendment could sweep in users and create harsh felony penalties for possession. The committee adopted the Wynn amendment and then gave HB 2415 as amended a 6-3 do-pass recommendation. The committee then considered HB 2870, which would bar multiple Level 2 or Level 3 registered sex offenders from living together in the same residence unless they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The sponsor and neighborhood witnesses described a local home with six or seven offenders and said the arrangement frightened nearby families and children. Opponents argued the bill would destabilize housing for people on probation, increase homelessness, and interfere with supervision and rehabilitation; some also noted existing probation oversight and low sexual recidivism rates. After debate over whether the bill should instead target only certain housing settings, the committee voted 5-4 to give HB 2870 a do-pass recommendation. Next, HB 2413 was heard, requiring GPS or electronic monitoring for registered sex offenders who do not have a fixed address until one is established. Supporters said the bill would close a gap for homeless or transient registrants who otherwise report only every 90 days, while opponents raised due process, cost, and implementation concerns, noting that some offenders are already monitored through probation and that DPS does not itself supervise offenders. The committee passed HB 2413 on a 5-4 vote. The committee also heard HB 2720, which increases the penalty for purchasing prostitution to a class 6 felony and directs a $200 assessment to the anti-human trafficking fund. Supporters said it targets buyers and helps deter trafficking demand; opponents argued the bill could still ensnare trafficking victims and sex workers. The committee adopted a Bliss amendment clarifying the affirmative defense and use of funds, then approved HB 2720 as amended by an 8-0 vote with one member present. Finally, HB 2418, appropriating $600,000 from the General Fund to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission for five major incident division task forces, was supported by county sheriffs’ representatives and passed unanimously by the committee.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Criminal Justice Feb 2nd, 2026

Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:
  • He referenced prior bills on long-term sentencing reform and said he had also introduced legislation
  • This bill increases penalties and creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for the most serious sex
  • when that sentence exceeds five years, while leaving all other competency procedures unchanged.
  • Insanity is a life sentence, and I think that's important to understand.
  • They had a method for every person who could be sentenced into prison to go to the state hospital.
Summary: The committee took up several criminal justice bills, beginning with SB 760 on violations of pretrial release conditions. A strike-all amendment narrowed the bill to make willful violation of a no-contact order a first-degree misdemeanor, authorize warrantless arrest on probable cause, and require detention until first appearance in certain cases. The amendment and the bill, as amended, were both adopted and reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1536 on digital voyeurism, which would extend the expectation of privacy to backyards in the surveillance statute; it was reported favorably after brief questions and support from a Florida Smart Justice Alliance witness. Members next considered SB 1012 on inmate services. The bill would expand use of contractor-operated institutions inmate welfare trust funds for reintegration and facility upgrades, and would require reimbursement for inmate emergency and specialty medical services at Medicaid rates, with telehealth and autonomous APRNs included as options. Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida opposed the bill as written, warning that tying Medicaid participation to treatment of inmates could reduce reimbursement and discourage provider participation, while the Department of Corrections and Florida Smart Justice Alliance supported it. Senators discussed costs, aging inmates, and possible future changes, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed CS for SB 600 on bail bond and pretrial release laws after adopting a strike-all that aligned it with the House companion and made technical changes to solicitation, training, and bond reinstatement rules. Public testimony raised concerns about who should receive returned bond money and how clerks would process payments, but the sponsor said the bill would continue to be refined. Later, the committee reconsidered and favorably reported SB 1750 on criminal sexual conduct, which increases penalties and mandatory minimums for serious sex crimes, especially those involving children. It also reconsidered and favorably reported SB 1544 on complaints against law enforcement and correctional officers, a bill requiring complainants to provide sworn complaints to officers before interrogation unless corroborating evidence is present; police chiefs and sexual violence advocates opposed parts of the bill, while supporters argued it would protect officers from unfounded complaints. Finally, SB 1488 on booking officer duties regarding minor children of arrested persons was reported favorably, and SB 1326 on prosecution of defamation was taken up for reconsideration with a delete-all amendment that narrowed the insanity defense, limited mitigation for severe mental illness in serious cases, and extended detention periods for incompetent defendants; opposition testimony from defense, public defender, and mental health advocates warned it would worsen treatment and increase costs.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Criminal Judiciary Feb 10th, 2026 at 03:00 pm

Criminal Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • if you own a land or have acquired land unlawfully And you commit a crime, you will be able to be sentenced
  • And this is a prosecutor re-sentencing bill where a prosecutor that is responsible for prosecution of
  • I mean, I could read the sentence, 'Unless otherwise provided by law, any parent, guardian, or person
  • I am thinking that is defined by the following sentence, which says the problem is wearing a mask for
  • For example, you have aggravated assault and battery currently that's up to a five-year sentence.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Judiciary Committee Meeting - 2026-04-14

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • So there's a cost there, but there is a data linkage between the courts and sentencing guidelines. it's
  • Now my next question to you is: can the Sentencing Guidelines Commission comply with data requests that
  • The goal was to have the Sentencing Guidelines Commission serve simply as a place where the information
  • Now my next question to you is: can the Sentencing Guidelines Commission comply with data requests that
  • So, if we're going to be aggregating that data through the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, I believe
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee Mar 5th, 2025

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • sentence to 30 years, to serve 10.
  • So it is not... ...the individual is sentenced, so it is not a 30-year sentence.
  • Okay, Judge, I think made the point last week on a 10-year sentence, on a split sentence that is day
  • for day... ...a split sentence that is day for day.
  • As I understand this bill, that... ...sentence.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

01/28/2026 - Senate Judiciary and Elections

Judiciary and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • The most recent one, at time of sentencing—and by the way, she's 35 years old now. Thank you.
  • The court ought to be doing this as a part of sentencing.
  • That's the sentencing scheme.
  • There are much lower sentencing schemes.
  • Are we going to sentence them to prison for that amount of time? That’s what concerns me.
Summary: The committee first approved the January 21, 2026 minutes and held SB 1208. It then heard SB 1211, which would allow victims of felony aggravated harassment involving domestic violence to seek a lifetime injunction against the convicted defendant. The sponsor said the bill came from fellowship participants, and supporters from the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Amberle’s Place, and survivor advocates testified that repeated harassment and re-traumatization justify permanent protection. The committee voted 7-0 to give SB 1211 a do pass recommendation. Next, the committee considered SB 1239, which removes the statute of limitations for failing to register as a sex offender. The sponsor said DPS requested the change to close a loophole and hold offenders accountable even years later. Opponents from Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice argued existing warrant and registration processes already address the problem and that eliminating the time limit raises due process concerns and risks stale prosecutions. After discussion, the committee approved SB 1239 on a 4-3 vote. The committee also heard SB 1240, which excludes probationers convicted of dangerous crimes against children from the probation incentive payment formula. The sponsor tied the bill to a recent child sexual assault case and said the incentive system should not count these offenders. Opponents warned it could push probation departments to send more people to prison instead of treatment and that the bill’s language is broad. The committee passed SB 1240 on a 4-3 vote. It then took up SB 1095, as amended, which bans gender transition procedures and referrals for minors and limits public funding and use of public facilities for such care; supporters framed it as protecting children and parental rights, while opponents called it discriminatory and medically unsound. The committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a 4-3 do pass as amended recommendation. Finally, the committee heard SB 1243 and SB 1244, both dealing with court-ordered mental health treatment. SB 1243 requires notice to guardians when a patient may be released early or when treatment may not be renewed, and allows guardians to seek an independent evaluation and petition for continued treatment; supporters said it helps families prevent dangerous gaps in care, while opponents raised due process concerns about non-medical guardians initiating petitions. The committee passed SB 1243 unanimously. SB 1244 creates a continuing court-ordered treatment process after a second consecutive annual review, reducing repeated renewal hearings while preserving annual reporting and objections; supporters said it prevents dangerous lapses in treatment for the sickest patients, while opponents warned it could weaken due process and allow indefinite confinement. The committee adopted an amendment and passed SB 1244 on a 6-1 vote.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/04/2026 - Senate Judiciary and Elections

Judiciary and Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • Sometimes, yes, probation is given instead of a prison sentence, but a lot of times people are serving
  • prison sentences and then coming out on probation.
  • because ultimately this law, 13902G, states that if you are on probation for a DCAC crime, you've been sentenced
  • to probation and you've, That if you are on probation for a DCAC crime, you've been sentenced to probation
Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then took up several election, family court, and criminal justice bills. SB 1425, the “big bill,” would move Arizona’s 2026 primary election date earlier and adjust related election administration timelines; the chair’s amendment moved the primary to July 21 and removed the shortened curing/ID deadlines. County officials testified in support, explaining the timing changes and the need to align dates, and the committee adopted the amendment and gave the bill a do-pass recommendation. SB 1289, dealing with certifications for entities providing money or resources for election administration and foreign funding disclosures, also received a do-pass recommendation after testimony from supporters arguing it would block foreign influence in election administration and ballot issue spending. The committee later heard SCR 1013, a related resolution that would more directly prohibit foreign-source money for election administration and ballot measures; the sponsor and supporters said it was similar to SB 1289 but broader, and testimony focused on foreign money flowing through nonprofit networks. The committee then considered SB 1326, which would allow courts to award attorney fees and costs to victims when a party violates or worsens a victim’s rights. A victim’s attorney testified that the bill would provide needed accountability and guidance, while opponents argued the term “exacerbates” was vague and that existing remedies already exist. The committee approved SB 1326 on a 4-3 vote. SB 1402, requiring courts to impose a fee on certain probationers to cover electronic monitoring costs, drew support from the sponsor and advocates who said offenders should pay for monitoring, and opposition from defense attorneys who warned it could burden indigent probationers and divert money from treatment; it also received a 4-3 do-pass recommendation. The most extensive debate was on SB 1330, which would allow a parent in certain custody cases to request a jury trial on parenting time or legal decision-making. Supporters, including several parents, described costly and traumatic family court experiences and argued a jury would provide a neutral check on judges and court-appointed professionals. County and court representatives opposed the bill, saying family cases require specialized judicial expertise, jury trials would delay urgent matters, increase costs, and risk confidentiality. Despite those concerns, the committee adopted the bill on a 4-3 vote. The committee also approved SB 1328, which declares state policy favoring parental rights and a child’s equal access to both co-parents, after adopting an amendment adding legislative intent language. Finally, SB 1329, which would let parents sue court-appointed professionals who deviate from professional ethics or standards in custody matters, passed 4-3 after testimony from parents and advocates who said court appointees lack accountability, while opponents said existing malpractice and licensing remedies already address misconduct.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Criminal Jurisprudence Apr 8th, 2025

Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:
  • So the jury that sentenced Mr. Thomas to death had never heard about his mental illness.
  • Another individual, Larry Haddon, was sentenced to death in 1996.
  • He was sentenced to death strapped to what everyone called in the...
  • It's based on the sentence, and so it's based on each individual case and each individual sentence that
  • Based on the sentence, there's an extended amount of time that it's retained.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Criminal Jurisprudence Apr 3rd, 2025

Criminal Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:
  • Sentence stacking is discretionary for the prosecution to request and for the judge to grant.
  • For example, they can turn their heads or speak simple sentences.
  • It provides additional sentencing options for prosecutors by creating a new first-degree felony.
  • If prosecutors another tool to be able to sentence these cases as appropriate.
  • Oh, I just had one sentence left, so go ahead. Do you have any questions for this witness? Mr.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/25

Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • How much of the grant process takes that sentence into account in the amount of grants that are given
  • How much weight is put on that sentence in one of the grant requests, based on what they request as opposed
  • :42:45.319> process<00:42:45.800> takes<00:42:46.359> that<00:42:46.720> sentence
  • <00:42:47.319> into grant process takes that sentence into grant process takes that sentence
  • /c><00:48:17.160> one different areas based on this one different areas based on this one sentence
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm here to address Senate Bill 1497, a one-sentence amendment to Article 18. 0.0215 of the Code of Criminal
  • It would be hard-pressed to find a Texas prosecutor that is on a class-B mission. sentence in county
  • In terms of the punishment range for some of the higher offenses, when it comes to TDC J prison sentences
  • A quarter of the time, so even hypothetically on a live sentence, please understand.
  • Mathematically you can be paroled in seven years five months on a life sentence for a non 3g offense
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Judiciary Feb 17th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, it looks like in this case where they've not been adjudicated, they've not been sentenced, they have
  • Senate Bill 1266 creates the possibility of up to one year in county jail as a maximum potential sentence
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • If they are undocumented or here legally, after they serve their sentence, they are deported.
  • This offender was... ...sentenced for these crimes in the year 2000, and he had nearly every review yearly
  • He served his entire sentence.
  • In 1989, Glenn Anthony, a violent repeat offender with no remorse, was sentenced to 99 years for killing
  • After just 15 years into his sentence, in 2003, he was eligible for parole due to prison overcrowding